


I'm Here for You

by NamelessMoogle



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Adulthood, Baking, Canon Era, Character Death, Childhood, Confessions, Developing Friendships, Exhaustion, Friends to Lovers, Injury, Loss of Parent(s), M/M, Overworking, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Esteem Issues, Teen Years, World of Ruin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-05
Updated: 2018-03-05
Packaged: 2019-03-27 10:34:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13879050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NamelessMoogle/pseuds/NamelessMoogle
Summary: A series of interconnected flash fictions centered around Ignis and Gladiolus.





	1. Childhood

A boy, about 10 years old, was walking in the library with a notepad clutched in the left hand, looking intensely at the shelves in search of something. The green eyes behind a pair of gold-framed glasses lit up when he spotted a copy of _I Want to Be Your Canary_. However, the joy turned into disappointment as he realised that his reach was about an inch too short to touch the book. He knew he could ask a librarian for help, but he felt that it would ruin the effort he had made in order to get everything done by himself. He sighed and stood in front of the bookshelf, trying to figure out how to get his hands on the book.

He was so deeply lost in his own thoughts that he almost screamed when he felt a hand on his left shoulder. Remembering where he was, the boy forced his mouth shut, though he couldn’t stop himself from flinching at the touch and dropping his notepad. Someone whispered “Shh” at him as he was about to spin around to find out whom the hand belonged to. Behind him stood another boy, probably older and definitely taller than the bespectacled one.

“You need help with something,” the tall boy whispered again. The green-eyed boy noticed that it was not a question: the other boy knew what he had been doing. Unable to find a reason to deny, he nodded and pointed at the book he wanted to take out. The tall boy stretched his right arm and grabbed the book, which he handed over to the one who had been longingly gazing at it.

“Thank you.” It was all the smaller boy could whisper at the boy who had just given him a hand.

The tall boy’s amber eyes shone as he smiled in response. “No prob,” he said as he gently squeezed the other boy’s shoulder.

Then, only then, did the bookish young boy realise that the older boy had kept a hand on his shoulder throughout the entire process of fishing the book out of the shelf.


	2. High School

Even though Ignis had emptied the recycle bin after dinner, cans of Ebony started to fill the very bin as he studied for the exam. He had gone through the materials before the semester had begun, but he preferred to play it safe and make sure that he knew and understood everything. Truth be told, Ignis Scientia was no fan of doing things at the last minute, and would have loved more time to get ready. However, now that Noctis was in middle school, the prince’s workload had dramatically increased, which meant more work for Ignis as a retainer and a tutor. Since Noctis too had an exam the following day, Ignis had spent the evening helping him prepare for it.

The sun had begun rising by the time Ignis finished reviewing the notes and the handouts. He hurriedly packed his schoolbag before running into the bathroom to get ready for the day. He needed to hurry unless he wanted Noctis to be even tardier. Ignis bit his lower lip at the unpleasant thought, and put a can of Ebony in the bag, just in case.

To the young chamberlain’s relief, the prince cooperated enough to make it to school in time. Ignis himself had to dash to the high school section after dropping Noctis off, but the advisor-in-training did not mind. He took pride in working for the Crown, and the pride further motivated him to put more effort into the job. Ignis was only attending high school due to the king’s request, and though the teen didn’t see the need for school life, he had no intention to do anything against Regis’ wishes. As far as Ignis was concerned, maintaining decent grades was a part of the task, like showing up for each and every class in a timely manner. 

It seemed like any other exam days he had experienced, until he felt sudden dizziness overwhelming him. He opened the can of Ebony he had brought to school, and took a sip from it. Ignis hoped that it would be the end of his trouble, but all the thought process he had going stopped when he put the can down on the desk.

*****

Ignis was nowhere near a desk when he came to: he found himself in a bed, which he supposed was in the nurse’s office. The teenager tried to figure out how he had ended up there, when he realised that the last thing he remembered was feeling dizzy during the exam. _I must adjust my schedule for a make-up test._ It was then that Ignis became aware of the warmth surrounding his left hand. He turned his head to see what the source was.

A large hand was holding his in a gentle grip. Surprised, Ignis looked up to find out whom the hand belonged to. He was relieved and confused to learn that the hand was connected to a familiar face: that of Gladiolus Amicitia, Noctis’ Shield.

“How are you feelin’?” the older teen asked.

“I believe I grew more exhausted than I estimated. How long was I unconscious?”

“The exam is over for the day, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Darn. I do have to schedule for a make-up test at once, then,” Ignis responded as he attempted to adjust his glasses with his right hand, only to find them missing.

“One of the arms on the frame broke when you collapsed.”

“Oh.”

Ignis let his right hand fall to the side in awkward silence as he realised that Gladiolus was still holding his left hand.

“Noct flipped when he heard,” Gladio said, oblivious to Ignis’ discomfort. “You got me worried, too.”

“There is no need for concern,” Ignis retorted, “from either of you.”

Gladiolus frowned and squeezed Ignis’ hand with more force. 

“Bullshit. You wore yourself out helping that brat. Even if he weren’t at fault, he still should be worried because he cares about you. I am worried because I care.”

 _No one has ever said that to me since I came to the Citadel._ Ignis immediately corrected himself, stunned. _No one did, until just now._

“Gladiolus…”

“Cut the formal crap. All my friends call me Gladio… except for you”

“Gladio.”

“That’s better.”

“Thank you.”

The grip on Ignis’ left hand eased as a wide smile graced the taller teen’s face. 

“Anytime, Ignis. Anytime.”


	3. Brotherhood

Once again, Ignis left Noctis’ apartment feeling defeated and dejected. Once again, he had failed to recreate the sweets the prince had mentioned. “I’m sure it had some kind of fruit,” Noctis had commented, “but not cherries. Sorry, Specs, but this is not it.”

Ever since Ignis first heard of the mysterious treat from Noctis’ memories, he had known that it wouldn’t be easy to create the dish with almost no clues. The prince himself remembered little of it due to his age at that time; Ignis’ researches had been futile, as most of the information on Tenebraean dishes he had found was unrelated to baking. All he could do was figuring the recipe out by trial and error. _I have the patience, and Noctis has the appetite for sweets._ So the chamberlain believed that he would eventually succeed in satisfying the prince.

However, the strategist found himself questioning his own strategy now.There was more to baking than he had initially thought, and not enough time for him to experiment more in depth with the flavours. Ignis was already busy grooming Noctis as well as himself for their respective positions, leaving little room on his calendar for personal projects. _Perhaps I should ask His Highness if I should stop trying_ , he thought. _I will never be able to live up to his standards._

As Ignis approached his apartment, pondering on the request to cease the baking attempts, he saw someone standing in the hallway, with his back against a wall. “Heard you baked something for Noct today, but the brat ate everything before I asked for a bite,” a familiar, gruff voice came out. “Got any leftovers?”

“I might have a few, Gladio. Please come in.”

After the two of them entered the apartment, Gladio sat at the table while Ignis walked to the kitchenette. “Would you like some coffee with the pastries?” the Advisor asked the Shield.

“Nah. Cold water will do.”

Returning to the table with a glass of water and a cup of coffee along with the sweets, Ignis took a seat facing the other man. Gladio flashed a smile before thanking Ignis and biting into the baked goods. “Mmm, this is good! The sweet cherry filling is the best I ever tasted.”

“I appreciate the vote of confidence.”

The smile on the Shield’s face disappeared at that moment. “Something’s bothering you.”

“There is always something ‘bothering’ me.”

“With work, of course. But you’re talking something _personal_ right now.”

Ignis wasn’t sure how to refute Gladio’s remark. The younger man only knew that he was tired and frustrated, and needed a break. Talking a few moments, he managed to say, “Maybe so. I am a human being after all.”

“This treat isn’t what Noct is looking for. Am I right?”

The tactician flinched at this bold statement, not having expected one so straightforward. Watching Ignis’ reactions, Gladio softened his voice into a more gentle tone as he continued, “By the Six, Iggy, I told you when I saw you in the hallway. Prince Charmless had eaten every damn thing before I got to ask about the sweets. It may not be what he had in mind, but he fucking enjoyed it.”

“I appreciate your concern, but I have failed to meet his demands once again.”

“If you think attempting to make something out of nothing is a failure,” the Shield started, his eyes fixed on Ignis’, “I am bigger a failure than you are.”

“Pardon me,” _I really hate to admit to being ignorant_ , “but I don’t understand what you mean.”

“As the Advisor, you are not responsible for cooking for Noct, much less for creating a dessert from his childhood memories,” Gladio articulated. “On the other hand, it is my duty as the Shield to train him so that he won’t get his ass kicked by some pesky Niffs. You know as well as I do how _good_ a combatant His Highness is.”

“It is my fault that he has been neglecting --”

“No, it isn’t. Noct is responsible for his own actions now. I know you want to defend him, but you should do so only when he’s in danger. It isn’t life-threatening to show up for regularly scheduled training sessions, though I’m sure the Princess may beg to differ.”

Ignis could not fault the logic in Gladio’s arguments. Nevertheless, the young Sword was unable to hide the disappointment he felt in himself. “Touche, Gladio, but I can’t shake off this feeling… that I can do better.”

“I know that feeling,” the Shield agreed. “But… Remember what I told you when you collapsed during the exam, back in high school?”

“You said many things that day.”

“Yeah. What I mean is that Noct cares about you,” Gladio reminded Ignis. “Whether you get the dessert perfectly or not doesn’t matter. It’s all good as long as you’re here for him.”

Ignis felt his frustration melt away at Gladio’s words. As soon as the taller man saw the tension disappear from Ignis’ face, he reached both of his hands out and wrapped the chamberlain’s right hand in them. Ignis gasped as he felt Gladio’s touch, but he didn’t pull his hand out. The right hand still held in the large, calloused hands, the bespectacled man whispered, “Thank you again, Gladio.”

“No problem, Iggy. I’m here for you.”


	4. Day After the Fall

They were following the king’s orders -- to take Noctis to his betrothed in Altissia and to keep him safe along the way. As members of the Crownsguard and retainers of the prince, Gladiolus, Ignis, and Prompto vowed to carry out the missions to the completion. As friends of Noctis, they believed they would look after the young man. It was going to be a journey the four of them would enjoy and cherish for the rest of their lives.

Everything crumbled, beyond their reaches, shortly after they arrived in Galdin Quay. Niflheim invaded Insomnia and attacked the Citadel, resulting in the fall of the Crown City. The news media were loud and clear on the king’s death, which left the quartet shaken, especially the prince.

Gladiolus admired Ignis for staying calm despite the shock, and Prompto for being cool-headed enough to face the reality. The Shield couldn’t blame Noctis for the displays of anger and frustration: after all, the boy had lost his father as well as the promises of peace he had believed in. However, as the tattooed man read the newspaper article once again, he found himself wishing for some kingly behaviour and consideration from the prince -- no, _the new king_ , Gladio corrected himself as he went over the situation at hand.

Although Gladio had suggested that they return to Insomnia and see everything with their own eyes, he had little doubt that the king -- Regis -- had indeed perished. The young Shield knew better than anyone that the king’s demise meant his Shield’s end as well, which signified the loss of his own father. The uncertainty of his sister’s whereabouts was alarming, but the certainty of his father’s absence was soul-crushing.

The Shield was grateful that Prompto had dragged Noctis out “for a walk and a snack” before Gladio collapsed on a couch and started sobbing.

Minutes passed before light footsteps approached the man in mourning. Two mugs of steaming-hot coffee were placed on the table near the couch Gladio was sitting half-dead on, as someone took a seat on a sofa nearby.

While Gladio knew that it couldn’t be anyone but Ignis trying to console him, he didn’t know how to raise his head and look at his friend. The swordsman had tried to be strong and to remain at the strategist’s side since they were children. Now that Gladio was more vulnerable than ever before, he wasn't sure what the other man thought of him -- the weak Gladiolus -- at the moment.

Hearing Ignis sigh, the Shield felt heartbroken. “Leave me alone.”

“I refuse,” the tactician said, “to do nothing when I’m here for you.”

Gladio could no longer hold back his tears after he heard something -- someone -- shuffle and felt a gentle embrace enveloping his body.


	5. World of Ruin

Daemons roamed freely in a world of complete darkness, which meant more work than ever for those who could hunt. Putting their primary job as the retainers of Prince Noctis on hold, Gladiolus, Ignis, and Prompto took up hunting full-time not only to get by but also to protect the people of Eos. However, Noctis’ absence and the desperation for survival put so much strain on the trio that they gradually grew apart and ended up living in different regions: Gladiolus in Cape Caem, Ignis in Lestallum, and Prompto in Hammerhead.

The Shield kept himself busy hunting, maintaining the house, and training Iris and himself. While he often thought of his friends -- especially Ignis, who had insisted that he needed no help from anyone --, Gladio had little time to go visit them, being one of the few hunters in Caem. He hunted, trained, and lived, sending words to his friends once in a while to keep them updated on the situations in the area. Cor the Immortal occasionally stopped by, “to check on the children,” and the Marshal’s visits were among the few things the Amicitia siblings looked forward to.

One day, instead of the veteran warrior, Monica showed up, looking uncharacteristically frustrated. “Gladiolus. Iris. I want you to accompany me to Lestallum on the double.”

 _I have a bad feeling about this._ “What’s going on?” the tattooed hunter asked.

“The Marshal has requested you to meet him in Lestallum.”

“You won’t tell us until we get there. Fine.”

*****

Never had Gladio imagined seeing Cor the Immortal injured and unconscious; nevertheless, it was far from the first time the Shield had witnessed something beyond his understanding. _No wonder Monica looked so out of her element_ , he thought. He heard Iris cry for the first time in a few years, but he couldn’t comfort her as he was struggling to hold his own tears.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and someone rushed in screaming, “Marshal!” Though caught off guard, Gladio had no trouble identifying the voice: Prompto’s. It was not surprising that the blonde had come all the say from Hammerhead, as the young man had always looked up to Cor. Gladio found a little comfort in having Prompto around during a rough time like this. Then, he realised that he hadn’t run into Ignis since he arrived in Lestallum.

*****

Having sent Prompto into the Marshal’s room, Ignis stood in the hallway, a step away from the door. He heard Iris crying and Prompto yelling, which made him want to join them. Even so, the strategist didn’t want to stir them up when everyone was already distressed at Cor’s bloody injuries. He tried to keep his footsteps light in order not to disturb his friends as he walked off to the kitchen.

Coffee was a rare commodity in a world lacking sunlight, so even a coffee addict Ignis had to resort to substitutes. However, much to his delight, once in a blue moon, the rewards for his hunts included some real coffee. A small amount had come by shortly before Ignis received the bad news, and he felt that he could use the liquid comfort under the circumstances. He brewed a pot of coffee, poured some into a mug, and took a sip. 

Ignis was so lost in thoughts that he almost didn’t hear the footsteps. Thankfully, his heightened sense of hearing spared him the embarrassment. The strong yet careful steps could only belong to the Shield. “Gladio, how may I help you?”

“No need. I’m just gonna get some water.”

“Very well.”

While Ignis could hear glasses clattering and water pouring, he caught no sound of Gladio gulping it down nor leaving the kitchen. If the tactician were to take an educated guess, he would say that the taller man was standing nearby, staring at him. Hence, Ignis was not surprised when a gruff voice called out his name.

“Iggy.” Gladio sighed before he continued. “Do you think the Marshal will be all right?”

“We should wait for a doctor to come and check him to be sure,” Ignis admitted. “But I do hope that Cor the Immortal will remain _immortal_ for a while longer.”

“Hell yeah,” Gladio replied with a chuckle. “For all I know, he’s gonna continue kicking our asses even when we’re old enough to be grandfathers.”

Surprised but happy at the exuberance in Gladio’s remark, Ignis felt his face relax and even bear a slight smile.”But of course. Both your father and Noct’s would talk his ears off if he were to leave ‘The Children’ behind and unsupervised.”

Putting down the coffee mug, Ignis held out a slender hand, which Gladio gently squeezed in his large one.


	6. Always

When Noctis told them why he had been trapped inside the Crystal, they knew what they would have to do. When they put on the Kingsglaive garbs, they knew that they would have to say goodbye soon. When they bowed to the king in front of the Citadel, they knew that it was goodbye. When they found themselves unable to summon their weapons, they knew that they had lost a precious friend.

All that knowing did nothing to soothe the pain of having lost people they held dear. Nonetheless, when they saw natural light on Eos for the first time in a decade, they felt that they had done something meaningful after all. The retainers of King Noctis still had a lot of work to do in this new world full of light.

Neither Gladiolus nor Ignis was surprised when Prompto told them that he wanted to go on a journey, alone, to take pictures of the world in the daylight. “In Noct’s honour,” the photographer said, “because, thanks to him, we have daylight again.” The blonde quietly walked out with his camera and a backpack after promising his friends that he would come back unscathed.

With Cor Leonis leading the restoration efforts, those who had worked for the Crown followed the Marshal. Ignis became an advisor and aided Cor in maintaining some order in the chaotic amount of work cut out for them. Gladio helped people move to their new homes, not only as a mover but also as a guard keeping them safe en route. “It’s like working as the Shield, except that I don’t work for the king now,” he once said to Ignis.

Though Ignis was frequently in other people’s presence, he couldn’t help but feel lonely without any of his closest friends around. Of course, he could call Gladio and Prompto to ask how they were doing, but it wasn’t the same as having someone right next to him. Not knowing how to deal with the empty feelings in his heart, Ignis simply buried himself into the work. _This is all for making the world a better place for the people_ , he reminded himself whenever he had a moment to spare.

Weeks and months passed before Ignis’ phone rang in a custom ringtone instead of the usual one assigned to work-related contacts. He could feel his heart pounding as the ringer had been assigned specifically to Gladio.

“Scientia speaking.”

“Hey.”

“Gladiolus. To what do I owe the pleasure?” Ignis heard the other man gasp at the response. 

“Well,” Gladio started, “I wanted to ask if it’s okay to stop by ‘cause I’m in town now.”

“Of course. My door is always open to you.”

“Good to hear.”

Even after arranging the time and hanging up, Ignis remained tense and nervous, for he had been so focused on work that he wasn’t sure how to deal with personal relationships. Nevertheless, he was happy that Gladiolus, whom he had known since they were children, was coming to see him. Even if Ignis Scientia was nothing more than a brain and a workaholic to other people, Gladiolus Amicitia always knew better. The Shield always saw more of the Advisor than anyone else, even Noctis and Prompto.

A knock on the door bringing him back to reality, Ignis opened the door to let his visitor in. “Gladio.”

“Iggy.”

Greetings were exchanged and dinner took place, accompanied by small talks about what they each had been up to. Ignis talked about how some restoration projects were coming along and how great a leader Cor had turned out to be. Gladio described the towns he had been to and the changes he had seen in them. The conversation gradually put Ignis at ease, and Gladiolus didn’t miss the signs of comfort in his friend’s demeanor.

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.”

Ignis tensed up at Gladio’s words. The Advisor knew that it was okay to be himself in the Shield’s presence, but he still felt that he understood little of the taller man. No matter how the strategist attempted to analyze the enigma that was Gladio Amicitia, there was always something about the man he couldn’t grasp.

“I spent years trying to figure out how to say this, so I’ll cut to the chase. Ignis, I’ve been in love with you since I saw you reaching out for that book in the library.”

“ _I Want to Be Your Canary_ ,” Ignis recalled. “You took the book out for me.”

“Yeah. You were too stubborn to ask for help then. That tendency got you into more trouble as you got older, but you never gave up. Not even once.”

“I’m afraid you have overestimated me, Gladiolus.” The confession put more butterflies into Ignis’ stomach, but he needed to make something clear. “I was about to leave the library when you came to help me.”

Despite the lack of vision, Ignis could feel the air of surprise coming from Gladio. “Also, if not for your encouragement in the following years, I would have wallowed in self-pity and left the Citadel. Everything you think I ever did, I owe it all to you.”

“You saved me too, Iggy.” Gladio followed. “You were here for me when I needed help. When I needed you.”

“Gladio, I’m still here for you. And if you’ll have me -” Ignis couldn’t finish the sentence, as Gladio held him in a bone-crushing hug.

**Author's Note:**

> [Scream at me about my little fics](https://twitter.com/namelessmoogle1).


End file.
